Lisa Arnold is 20 years old and has Down syndrome and the mental capacity of a 3-year-old.Before a Davidson County judge ordered her to have only supervised visits with her mother, Lisa peddled The Contributor newspaper with her mother at the intersection of Old Hickory Boulevard and Franklin Road in Brentwood.
Together, they were one of the top sellers of the newspaper sold by the homeless.
But in January, a group including a disability advocate, a singer-songwriter and a former police officer brought concerns of Lisa’s health and safety under her mother’s care to Probate Judge Randy Kennedy. He ordered a local lawyer to serve as her court-appointed guardian to represent her interests in the courtroom. He granted temporary conservatorship over Lisa to Belinda Mitchell, a caseworker with The Arc of Davidson County, a nonprofit that helps the disabled.
Lisa now lives in a group home for disabled women and attends Harris-Hillman Special Education School.
A hearing to determine whether Lisa should remain in the court’s care or return to her mother will be held June 8.
Lisa’s mother, Renee Arnold, is fighting the conservatorship.
Full Article and Source:
Homeless Mom Fights to Regain Custody of Disabled Daughter
See Also:
TN Woman's Adult Daughter Taken From Her
Facebook: Supporters of Lisa & Renate Arnold
Sadly, this case appears to already have been fought and determined in the media.
ReplyDeleteWhatever is decided in this case should include Lisa being reunited with her mother.
ReplyDeleteFirst priority is for mother and daughter to be able to be together. None of those isolation dirty tactics that we see in so many audlt guardianship cases. It's time to focus on family first. My very best to this family for a just resolution too bad it's in Kennedy's courtroom because that fact alone scares the hell out of me. Although it would be impossible for this case to be before a fair judge since Kennedy's the only probate judge iin the county.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteWe know Kennedy's work.
He really should retire or --
I keep thinking how scared Lisa must be. She probably thinks her Mom deserted her. What a terrible shame.
ReplyDeleteI hate this for poor Lisa, who will suffer the brundt of it.
ReplyDeleteI am all for the Family unit and keeping child and parent together, but when so-called "parent" puts child in neglectful and unstable conditions, They should lose guardian rights unless and until they are willing to do WHATEVER it takes for the child's wellfare. The guardian/mother in this case should have put her Daughters best interest before her own desires of lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteresponse to anonynmous...
ReplyDeletewhen "so-called" parents... really. You don't get it. You are working under two misguides presumptions: (1) the the parent is guilty of neglect, and (2) that Lisa is safe where she is with strangers. Both are false. In 20 years of care, there has never been a single filing against the mother. And no evidence was offered in court other than hearsay testimony. Second, the players involved are financially insolvent. One with IRS tax liens, and the other just having exited bankruptcy. Lisa has also gained significant weight due to poor diet and now has two cavities due to high sugar. Her workers also constantly violated court ordered visitations, and Lisa spent three minutes with her Mother on mother's day.
These are NOT good people, and I do not know why there is the misguided presumption. This will always continue to happen unless a state does background checks on homes and conservators.
Response to B....
ReplyDeleteI think it's very irresponsible of you to make these statements based on "hearsay". They are not true.
I also think before we personally attack others, we should make sure "our own backyard" is clean. It's uncalled for and You have your facts wrong....The truth will always see the light.
I agree with B's basic premise.
ReplyDeleteIf the Mother has raised the adult/child for 20+ years with no complaints, then why now is she suddenly accused of neglecting Lisa??
Sure, I wouldn't want to chose that lifestyle, but there are many lifestyles I wouldn't want. And that doesn't make anyone else's lifestyle automatically wrong.
Lisa's world just turned upside down and it may destroy her sense of what makes her happy.
J, you are right that statements shouldn't be based on hearsay, but at the same time, it seems so many of the statements against the mother are just that.
ReplyDeleteI wish the statements against Mom were just hearsay...Then the cruel reality of what this Down-Syndrome person has endured in 20 years wouldn't be true. When the truth surrounding this case is able to become public knowledge, I have a feeling there will be a few select people who will be living with regret. We all should have a common goal....protect this child from harm.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait until Court on 6/8....The truth will surface, and we can all take a deep breath....Finally...
ReplyDeleteFeeling bad for the people that didn't have the common sense to take the time and verify certain information....it's hard to live in a post office, or on a Military Base when you have NO recent connection. The truth will set you free....